of the youngest queen. He flitted about and pecked until
she opened the window and let him in. Then he alighted at once on her
white hand and this pleased her so much that she laughed like a child
and played with him.

"Oh, what a dear bird you are!" she cried. "How you would delight my
husband if he were home. But he's off visiting all three parts of his
kingdom and he won't be back until the day after tomorrow in the
evening."

At that moment the old witch rushed into the room. "Wring the neck of
that cursed bird!" she shrieked, "or it will stain you with blood."

"My dear mother," the queen answered, "why should it stain me with
blood--beautiful innocent creature that it is?"

"Beautiful innocent mischief!" shrieked the witch. "Here, give it to
me and I'll wring its neck!"

But at that moment the bird changed itself into a man, disappeared
through the door, and they never saw him again.

The seer knew now where the kings were and when they would come home.
So he made his plans accordingly. He ordered his servant to follow him
and they set out from the city at a quick pace. They went on until
they came to a bridge which the three kings as they came back would
have to cross.

The seer and his man hid themselves under the bridge and lay there in
wait until evening. As the sun sank behind the mountains, they heard
the clatter of hoofs approaching the bridge. It was the eldest king
returning home. At the bridge his horse stumbled on a log which the
seer had rolled there.

"What scoundrel has thrown a log here?" cried the king angrily.

Instantly the seer leaped out from under the bridge and demanded of
the king how he dared to call him a scoundrel. Clamoring for
satisfaction he drew his sword and attacked the king. The king, too,
drew sword and defended himself, but after a short struggle he fell
from his horse dead. The seer bound the dead king to his horse and
then with a cut of the whip started the horse homewards.

The seer hid himself again and he and his man lay in wait until the
next evening.

On that evening near sunset the second king came riding up to the
bridge. When he saw the ground sprinkled with blood, he cried out:
"Surely there has been a murder here! Who has dared to commit such a
crime in my kingdom!"

At these words the seer leaped out from under the bridge, drew his
sword, and shouted: "How dare you insult me? Defend yourself as best
you can!"

The king drew, but after a short strugg